Question for anyone who does it - say you are in a motorway services parking area and theres only one bay left between two trucks, how do you go about it? Do you picture the gap 10 feet in front of where it is so you get the truck straight before you go between the trucks? Or do you put the arse between the other two trucks and then hope you can straighten it out in time? Theres not enough space to start off straight you have to start from a dogleg.
(If you don’t want to tell me because I disagreed with you about some finer point of brexit, could you be big enough to forgive me…?)
It comes from experience sadly when it comes to judging just where the trailer needs to be. You want the trailer almost pointing in the direction it is going to be going by the time it’s level with the front of the cabs of the two lorries at either side. Assuming tight on space between the rows It’s easier if you drive along the front of them with the drivers side 6-7ft away from the front of the row then turn left when your cab gets level with the space and pull forward so the trailer is angled towards the gap.
A poor picture I did before for someone else but you get the idea. It’s for RDC loading bays so the driving into the space and then out won’t be an option but you’ll get the general idea.
If that were parking bays where that’s lined up would be for the bay to the right of the empty one and ideally you’d have your unit turned more to the right in relation to the trailer and then with the unit going straight backwards the trailer would slot straight in the space.
If there’s plenty of space between the rows to pull forwards and get it straight then you’re better doing that, going along until the space is about half way down the trailer then swinging sharp left and pulling forward so the trailer is straight for a straight backwards reverse.
If you’ve got some toy trucks just play with those to get the idea.
Way I do it is use every bit of available space to be able to reverse round in a wide arc, so by the time your arse end gets between the trucks you are reversing in a straight line,
Rather than make the mistake many do by reversing in on an angle and trying to correct it when the first 2 feet of your trailer is in the gap…sometimes resulting in a smashed mirror.
When there are rows in front you can’t always do it this way as space is limited., so it depends how good (or bad ) you are.
robroy:
Way I do it is use every bit of available space to be able to reverse round in a wide arc, so by the time your arse end gets between the trucks you are reversing in a straight line,
Rather than make the mistake many do by reversing in on an angle and trying to correct it when the first 2 feet of your trailer is in the gap…sometimes resulting in a smashed mirror.
When there are rows in front you can’t always do it this way as space is limited., so it depends how good (or bad ) you are.
Will try the wide arc next time - I was still at a 45 degree angle when the arse was almost in - no way it was ever gonna go. Its certainly not my strong point…
Conor:
It comes from experience sadly when it comes to judging just where the trailer needs to be. You want the trailer almost pointing in the direction it is going to be going by the time it’s level with the front of the cabs of the two lorries at either side. Assuming tight on space between the rows It’s easier if you drive along the front of them with the drivers side 6-7ft away from the front of the row then turn left when your cab gets level with the space and pull forward so the trailer is angled towards the gap.
A poor picture I did before for someone else but you get the idea. It’s for RDC loading bays so the driving into the space and then out won’t be an option but you’ll get the general idea.
If that were parking bays where that’s lined up would be for the bay to the right of the empty one and ideally you’d have your unit turned more to the right in relation to the trailer and then with the unit going straight backwards the trailer would slot straight in the space.
If there’s plenty of space between the rows to pull forwards and get it straight then you’re better doing that, going along until the space is about half way down the trailer then swinging sharp left and pulling forward so the trailer is straight for a straight backwards reverse.
If you’ve got some toy trucks just play with those to get the idea.
That diagram looks a bit off.It ain’t going in there at that angle.
It needs to be a bit further back covering the far trailer/truck.
You can then use the pivot point between cut in and tail sweep to bring the back end over with a bit more lock and angle than that between unit and trailer.But ‘before’ it’s entered the gap.
It gets more interesting with a A frame drawbar outfit especially picking up a demount box between two artic trailers bonus points if they are coupled to units.
Wheels, wheels, wheels.
Everything pivots on the wheels (including the 5th one).
Don’t spend too much time watching the very rear of the trailer.
You have to concentrate on the positioning of the wheels whilst glancing at the very rear of the trailer to see the results.
ScaniaUltimate:
Wheels, wheels, wheels.
Everything pivots on the wheels (including the 5th one).
Don’t spend too much time watching the very rear of the trailer.
You have to concentrate on the positioning of the wheels whilst glancing at the very rear of the trailer to see the results.
With the amount of overhang on Brit/Euro semi trailers it pays to have a walk outside to check what the far corner is doing before doing anything that can’t be undone.
The same when turning out.There’s a lot of margin for error in that distance.
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humour intended before all you zealots get busy typing
My tip would be do all the hard work going forward in order to make the backwards bit easier. People seem to insist on trying a 90 degree reverse into somewhere when there is plainly enough room in front to severely reduce that angle or even make it a straight line reverse.
Subconsciously you’ll already have made a plan in your head on how to tackle the manoeuvre, if you don’t then it’s rarely going to go smoothly.
Teaching blind people to swim only using the internet.
humour intended before all you zealots get busy typing
If only there was some of school where this stuff could be taught, and practised…
.
.
(In defence of driving schools, though, they can do this, but students paying for their own tuition won’t want to pay the extra beyond getting through the test)
jakethesnake:
Try it a few times with an A frame drawbar then an artic will seem a doddle.
Ignore both diagrams in that case.Usually best to start from straight and unless it’s an LHV there’s no overhang to swing in. youtube.com/watch?v=ebz9Z3EMWLM
When its quiet somewhere and you’ve pulled out of a bay (could be an RDC between trailers, anywhere really) with a similar amount of room once you are out and the tractor is now at right angles to the bay, stop get out and have a look at the route you’ve taken.
You’ll have gone out in exactly the same way the other lads have said to reverse in, ie taking it wide so the trailer is as straight as possible when exiting/entering the gap.
Sometimes you can see your own tyre marks where you came out, ideally going back on the same line, to confirm push it back in again.
What doesn’t help at MSA’s is that when you’re bringing the tractor round to straighten up when reversing in, all the vehicles you are now having to be careful of with the nsf of your tractor won’t be in a nice straight line, and always be on the look out for loaded car transporters that might have car(s) hanging over the ends, same with other vehicles who carry plant etc.
As always, spotlessly clean windows and mirrors make the world of difference, can’t see clearly you’re already at a disadvantage.
Teaching blind people to swim only using the internet.
humour intended before all you zealots get busy typing
+1
To very simply answer the OP question without creating multiple scenarios that may or may not be relevant…
I tend to find that MSA spaces don’t often afford too much leeway so tend to try and get the trailer going in straight rather than relying on being able to straighten up between vehicles
